There is something special in store for the Folk and Variety Club audience in Bunratty on Saturday night with a night of comedy and music. As the Celtic Tiger seems to be taking a prolonged ‘cat – nap’ an evening with the inimitable Jon Kenny is just what the doctor ordered. Jon’s show heralds a welcome return to the type of work that made his reputation. Drawing on his impressive background in stand-up, comedic characterisation and music, the audience will be treated to an exhilarating show from the talented Kenny.

The series of concerts is a joint venture between Shannon Heritage and Ennis based Production 63. Commenting on the series to date Shannon Heritage Chief Executive John Ruddle said “we’ve been amazed by what we’ve learned in the past few weeks. The main thing is that we have a wonderful entertainment venue in the Corn Barn right here in the Folk Park. While we’ve being presenting our Traditional Nights here for a number of years it’s always been with our own performers. Now that we’ve invited world class artists to play here we’re amazed at how much they love this intimate venue. Mike Hanrahan, Tommy Hayes, Kieran Hanrahan, Sean Keane and Andy Irvine have all been hugely positive in their praise of the venue and have encouraged the audiences to continue to support the Club and spread the word. Other artists who have come to have a look because of what they’ve heard are very anxious to be included in the future. That’s a phenomenal vote of confidence and gives us great enthusiasm and encouragement to commit to further events in the months ahead with some very exciting performances.”

Jon Kenny’s arrival at the Folk and Variety Club is a welcome addition to the line up and is sure to attract some people who ordinarily may not have associated the Folk Park with a good night of comedy and music with one of the country’s premier performers. Formerly one half of the highly successful D’Unbelievables, Jon started his career as a front man for a glam rock band in the 1970s. From there his career path travelled through the varied arenas of acting – both stage and film, comedic and tragic; mime; dance; comedic characterisation and stand up. He has been amazingly successful in all these fields, winning numerous awards along the way. These include a meteor award for the biggest selling DVD and a nomination for the prestigious Irish Times Best Actor Award. His present show demonstrates his varied talents. With an astute eye for the ridiculous in modern life, Jon focuses on Ireland’s new characters, lambasting the emerging eccentricities of the 21st century. Considering how much bad news is about at present Jon’s unorthodox view of daily life is certain to lift the hearts of those in the audience.

The Donegal news once wrote of Jon Kenny “If you hung him out to dry what you’d find if you looked in the puddle below would be a reflection of rural Ireland over the past few decades, warts and all.”

Jon uses the changing face of contemporary Ireland as the scaffold on which to build his hilarious observations and characters. With an astute eye for the ridiculous in modern life, Jon focuses on Ireland’s new characters, lambasting the emerging Irish eccentricities in this new era. Running through such contrasting experiences as supporting Munster rugby to visiting a health spa, Kenny takes no prisoners and delights in emphasizing the hilarity in everyday life. His return to the versatile character-work that made him a beloved household name is proving to be a much appreciated move by his loyal fans.

Production 63 Director, Ger Sweeney commented “Jon’s performance is always one that throws up a few surprises and Saturday night will be no exception. I’m very interested to see how the intimate setting of the Corn Barn will enhance Jon’s show. This show is a departure from the completely music driven concerts to date and as the title suggests we aim to add plenty of variety to the concerts in the future. We’re working hard on securing a very exciting programme of events for the future and look forward to presenting them over the months ahead. Shannon Heritage and Production 63 are committed to offering quality, affordable entertainment through the Folk and Variety Club and we look forward to welcoming those who have become regulars along with those who have yet to give us a try-out for these events”.

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The Folk and Variety Club continues next Saturday night, July 4th at the Folk Park in Bunratty when Andy Irvine takes to the stage for the club’s third installment. The series is a Shannon Heritage / Production 63 initiative and has, in its first two concerts successfully introduced a new intimate venue in the Corn Barn and an innovative approach to providing world class entertainment at the affordable price of only €22.50.

In advance of Andy Irvine’s concert Shannon Heritage Chief Executive John Ruddle said, “we are really looking forward to Saturday night and we’re delighted with the success of our first concerts. It appears we’ve read the market correctly. Foreign tourists and visitors from other parts of Ireland certainly make up a percentage of the audiences but we’re delighted that we have successfully reached out to local people. Families living within a 20 mile radius of the Folk Park have responded very positively to the Folk & Variety Club. This has certainly been helped by very favourable comments from the Hanrahan brothers, Tommy Hayes, Sean Keane and others who have experienced our intimate venue and have spread the word in the very tight but influential music circles”.

Singer / songwriter Andy Irvine is one of the country’s most respected artists. Probably best known as a founding member of the popular band Planxty, he is an accomplished player of the mandolin, bouzouki, mandola and guitar-bouzouki.

Irvine was born in St John’s Wood, North London. His mother was an actress, and as a child Irvine made a few minor appearances on stage and in films, but he gave up acting when he reached adolescence. He studied classical guitar, but gave it up for traditional music upon discovering Lonnie Donegan and the Skiffle boom of the 1950s, and, later, Woody Guthrie, who was to become an enduring influence on his music and outlook.

In the 1960s he arrived in Dublin and found musical influences in the likes of Ewan MacColl. Early on he met Johnny Moynihan, with whom he formed a musical partnership, which, with the addition of the late Joe Dolan, turned into Sweeney’s Men in 1966. A year later Dolan departed, and was replaced with Terry Woods (later of Steeleye Span and The Pogues). After recording several singles and an album Irvine left the band, and headed to Eastern Europe (he later wrote a song about his experiences there: “Baneasa’s Green Glade”, which was recorded years later by Planxty). During his trips to the Balkan states he soaked up musical influences which would emerge in subsequent projects and would have a major impact on the sound of contemporary Irish music, even including (via Bill Whelan) the original Riverdance score.

When he returned to Dublin, Sweeney’s Men was breaking up, and the music scene had changed. He met Donal Lunny, and played with him for a while, but he got his big break when Christy Moore who was recording his second album gathered some musicians including Irvine, Lunny, and uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn. The album, Prosperous was released as an album by Moore, but the four musicians thereafter formed Planxty.

The group was an instant success, signing a six record contract and touring throughout Europe. They played mostly traditional songs and tunes, but several were Irvine compositions, making him the lone composer of the band. Instrumentally the group was notable for the intricate bouzouki and mandolin counterpoint of Lunny and Irvine, along with O’Flynn’s exceptional piping; Irvine and Moore were the principal vocalists. After a third album together Moore departed and was replaced by Strabane native, Paul Brady, but soon Planxty broke up. Irvine continued to play with Brady, and briefly with De Dannan (he soon left due to scheduling conflicts). But by 1978 Christy Moore was ready to reform the original Planxty lineup, complete with Lunny, who brought along flutist Matt Molloy from The Bothy Band. Planxty again broke up in 1982, and Irvine gathered a collection of musicians from throughout Europe and formed Mosaic, which was short-lived.

In 1985 Irvine joined up with fiddler Kevin Burke, guitarist/vocalist Gerry O’Beirne, and accordionist Jackie Daly. Originally billed on an American tour as “The Legends of Irish Music”, they soon chose to call themselves Patrick Street. The lineup for the band underwent several changes, but always included Irvine, Burke, and Daly.

In recent years Irvine has been active in at least four ongoing musical projects: as a solo artist; with Patrick Street; in the original four-man lineup of Planxty, which reunited for several shows in 2003 and 2004; and in a multicultural group called Mozaik (not to be confused with his earlier, similarly named group), which features Irvine, Donal Lunny, Bruce Molsky, Nikola Parov, and Rens van der Zalm.

There is no doubt that the Folk and Variety Club has succeeded in making an impression on the market and Production 63 Director Ger Sweeney comments “Andy’s performance on Saturday is being anticipated widely and we’re delighted he could be with us. The positive response we’ve received from audience members and artists has been very encouraging and I’m in no doubt that Saturday’s concert will further enhance that. Bringing artists to nice venues is something we enjoy very much. Those who have played at the Corn Barn or just visited it have been so positive in their feedback and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to be involved with the discovery of what we believe is destined to become one of the region’s best entertainment venues for visitors and locals alike”.

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